SRINAGAR: The resistance camp on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the “vengeful” attitude of authorities in Tihar jail against Kashmiri political prisoners, saying they are being subjected to mental agony and torture.
“It is a serious violation of the UN Charter’s rights to prisoners,” said Hurriyat Conference general secretary Ghulam Nabi Sumji in a statement issued here.
He criticised authorities for their “unsympathetic attitude” towards prisoners and alleged thrashing of Mohammad Shafi and Javed Ahmad. “We apprehend threats to the life of Shabir Ahmad Shah, Dr Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Pir Saif ullah, Raja Meraj-u-Din Kalwal, Farooq Ahmed Dar, Shahid-ul-Islam, Muzaffar Ahmed Dar, Nayem Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Aslam Wani and Zahoor Ahmad Watali,” he said.
In a statement, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) has strongly condemned the “brutal” attack on Kashmiri inmates at Tihar jail in which two inmates Muhammad Shafi and Javed Ahmad have sustained injuries.
The party while taking a serious note of these attacks and plight of Kashmiri inmates in jails and police stations has “warned Indian rulers and their Kashmiri stooges” to stop these attacks immediately.
“If (such) kinds of attacks on inmates do not stop, (the) situation can turn ugly and responsibility will lie on the shoulders of the rulers,” the party said.
The Democratic Freedom Party in a statement termed the attitude of authorities in Tihar jail against Kashmiri prisoners as “based on political vengeance”.
“There is a threat to life of prisoners,” the party said, adding, the families of these prisoners are going through a deep mental agony.
The party expressed lament over the “unsympathetic” attitude of human rights bodies regarding the plight of Kashmiri prisoners languishing in various Indian jails. It said Kashmiri prisoners are kept among notorious criminals and their incarceration is prolonged by slapping “fabricated” charges against them.
The DFP also condemned the baseless charges against its chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah. “On one hand, Shah Sahib is being detained on the basis of media trial and false propaganda against him, and on other, his detention period is being prolonged.”
The attack on Javaid Ahmad and Muhammad Shafi in Tihar jail needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms, said Ameer Muslim Deeni Mahaz (MDM) Dr Muhammad Qasim in a statement.
“This attack is not a one off incident but a well planned conspiracy against Kashmiri inmates in jails outside Kashmir. These attacks are done on the directions of jail authorities through criminal elements in the jail,” Dr Qasim alleged in a statement.
“We have seen such incidents in the past where Kashmiri inmates were targetted under well planned attacks with sharp edged weapons and many a times these attacks have proved fatal,” he added.
MDM chief said incidents that happened with Farooq Qasid and Iftikhar Mirza earlier prove that these attacks are not a one off incident.
“All Kashmiris need to condemn these attacks and rise in solidarity with those who are undergoing incarceration in various jails across Kashmir and India,” he said.
“Amnesty International should also look into this matter at the (earliest) and take appropriate steps to save these inmates and provide medical relief to them,” Dr Qasim said.
Meanwhile, Hurriyat general secretary Sumji paid rich tributes to resistance leaders Masarat Alam Bhat, Asiya Andrabi and Fehmeda Sofi for their “persistence and steadfastness”, saying “their continuous and unlawful detention tantamount to disrespect to law and justice”.
He saluted Ameer Hamza Shah, Mir Hafeez ullah, Mohammad Yousuf Falahi, Shakeel Ahmad Yatoo, Raies Ahmad Mir, Mushtaq ul-Islam, Mohammad Rafiq Ganai, Abdul Ahad Para, Ghulam Mohammad Khan Sopori, Mohammad Rustam Bhat, Abdul Gani Bhat, Mohammad Ramzan Bhat, Omer Adil Dar, Farooq Tawheedi, and Sarjan Barkati for “their dedication and commitment”.
“The services rendered by lifers including Dr Shafi Shariati, Dr Muhammad Qassim Faktoo, Ghulam Qadir Bhat, Mansoor Ahmed, Tariq Ahmed and others deserve to be written in golden letters,” Sumji said.
He appealed to international human rights organisations and the Amnesty International to take serious cognisance of “human rights violations” and use their diplomatic pressure in impressing upon Indian authorities to resolve Kashmir issue.
Sumji also paid rich tributes to slain youth in Humhama gunfight.

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Launched in May 2012, Kashmir Reader is one of the leading English language newspapers of Jammu and Kashmir. It’s published daily from Srinagar by Helpline Group, which earned a name and fame in serious journalism